Season 6, Episode 1: Lila's Heartbreak
by DeepVoice'06
Summary: After a trip in the country to visit her grandparents for the summer, Lila begins to question her Mother's whereabouts.


**Hey Arnold! Season Six**

**AN:** Hey! Long time no see, huh? Two retail jobs will do that to you. Look on my profile page for more info. Basically, whether we_ ever_ get another season, I decided to get on the band-wagon with a couple other writers and make my _own_ episodes. Hopefully I do Craig justice but obviously _nobody_ can write the perfect episode like him. After reading, please leave a review and let me know what you think! All episodes are PG-14 and under, sixth grade, and no this is _nothing_ like Living with Helga. The PG-14 is because of the dark issues that will be discussed, believe me, you'll see. I'm trying to get as realistic to what Craig's plan would be as possible for season six.

By the way, see if you can catch the Lion King reference in this.

Enjoy!

**Season Six, Episode One:**

**Lila's Heartache**

…

**July fifth, summertime…**

Lila was in her hometown of Pleasantville with her grandparents, sitting with them in their living room. She was talking about her most recent school year. Her father was in her grandparent's barn, taking care of the horses, pigs and sheep.

Her grandparents funded her and her father's visit, so instead of going to San Lorenzo; she went to Pleasantville for three weeks. Pleasantville was the farming community she grew up in before moving to Hillwood. Lila heard that her parents broke up from financial difficulties, and her dad and her were forced to find a less expensive home to live in, even if it _was_ in the city.

Her grandfather was a bit chubby like her father, he had dark eyes and dark brown hair. Her grandmother was the_ picture_ of Lila, with braided red hair that went down to her back.

Lila continued speaking to her grandparents, "…so_, that's_ what happened during my fifth-grade year. Mr. Simmons is an ever-so wonderful teacher, and for him to accompany us to the fifth grade as well as the fourth is ever-so kind. I don't know if we're going to be fortunate enough to have him as our teacher in the sixth grade, but I _do_ appreciate all the lessons he's taught us. I've also made wonderful friends in Hillwood, even after not believing that I would fit in."

Her grandpa smiled and said, "That's _great_ to hear, Lila. We were both so worried you would have trouble adjusting from the country life to the city. Things are _much_ different in Hillwood than they are in Pleasantville."

Lila nodded in agreement, "I suppose it _was _difficult to adjust in the beginning, but there's so many kind boys and girls my age that I get along with. I've had such a wonderful time in Hillwood, but I was homesick and missed the quietness of my home in the country. That's why I didn't mind missing the trip to San Lorenzo to come back home."

Lila's grandmother smiled and put her hands together, saying, "A trip to San Lorenzo? That sounds _ever_-so much fun. How was _that _put together?"

Lila smiled and explained, "My classmate Helga sent in a video to Helpers for Humanity, and her video won the contest to go on a class trip for the summer-time. I_ do _believe Helga did it for an ever-so wonderful boy, so that he could find his long-lost parents. Arnold told me the last trip his parents made was to San Lorenzo when he was just a baby. Helga seems to care a great deal about him and probably won the contest so he could see them again. It was ever-so sweet of her to do something so selfless for somebody, and I'm sure it took a lot of work to put the video together. I wanted to go on the class trip as well, but family is what's most important. Before I left, I gave the class my warmest farewells and went off with Daddy to see you both."

Lila's grandfather nodded, "How are you and your father surviving? I know finances haven't been great without your mother around."

Lila sighed and looked away for a moment, "I suppose were doing all right, but we've been struggling to keep our apartment ever since we moved to Hillwood. Things are less expensive in the city, but it's still ever so difficult to get rent paid each month. We've been under an eviction notice more than once. Daddy has jobs on and off, but they either dismiss him because of his limited education, or the income isn't enough to pay rent plus groceries and daily expenses." Her expression turned sad, "Without mommy around life is ever-so sad. I know the difficulties with finances caused them to part ways, but it's unfortunate that they didn't keep in touch. She's a part of who I am, but she's a part of me I can't _remember._ I feel like I'm missing a part of _myself."_

Her grandparents exchanged a sad look before her grandmother sighed. She patted the seat beside her on her left, "Come over here, Lila. You're eleven now, and I think you're old enough to hear the _real _story about your Mother."

Her grandfather said, gently, "Has your father ever told you the _story?"_

Lila's expression changed from sadness to surprise, "The _story?_ Whatever do you _mean?_ Daddy told me she left because of financial struggles, much like you and grandma said," Lila's eyes widened and she stood up in excitement, "_Oh,_ does _that _mean we can go _visit _her? Does _that_ mean that she lives close _by?_ I have _oh _so much to tell her! We should tell daddy and get going right away!" _I've missed oh-so many precious years!_

Her grandfather put his hand on her right shoulder and stopped her from running out to the barn. He said, "No, Lila, your mother isn't living close by. In fact, she isn't living at all."

Lila blinked in surprise, "She's _not?"_

Her grandmother took a deep breath, before saying, "Your mother died when you were _two._ I'm sorry, Lila."

Lila was shocked: was her mother really _gone?_ All these years, her family had convinced her that she was _alive,_ "But daddy told me that mommy left because of their struggling finances... I thought—"

Her Grandpa explained sternly, "You were _two_, Lila! We didn't know _how _to explain it to you when your mother died, and neither did your _father. _He was _destroyed _after your Mother's death. She was his high school sweetheart, his _everything."_ He took a shaky breath, continuing, "Your dad was the one that insisted on keeping it a secret. Her death was part of the reason you and your father moved to Hillwood, after all."

Lila was sad as she looked down. Tears started to fill her eyes. This couldn't be _real, could_ it? "Why would Daddy insist on keeping it a secret for so _long? _Stories about the truth a few years later would have been understandable, but it's been almost ten _years _since her death."

Her grandmother said, "Your dad desires to shelter you from the world. I suppose this was _one _way he chose to _protect_ you. I'm sorry to tell you like this."

Her grandfather said, "The _last _thing we wanted to do was hurt you, Lila."

Lila said with tears in her eyes, barely managing to say, "How did she die?"

Her grandpa sighed, "Your father is the one that needs to talk with you about this."

…

**Two months later, sixth grade…**

Lila woke up from her bed screaming. It was three A.M. and she was shaking and clutching her arms in fear. Another nightmare about her mother being gone forever. Ever since her grandmother and grandfather told her the truth, she had been having nightmares. Regrets of not knowing her mother consumed her _mind._ She was even starting to think she could've _prevented_ her mother's death somehow, even without knowing the causes of it.

Her dad was quick to run in and pull her into a hug. Tears were falling from_ his_ own eyes from watching his daughter in pain, "_Lila!_ Lila, honey, what's _wrong!?_ Did you have a bad dream?! Don't worry, Daddy's here now. I'm _here _and I'm not going _anywhere!"_

Lila continued to cry as her father embraced her. Usually she would feel comforted by her father's _words_, but after finding out the truth about her mother, they felt _meaningless._ Why would her father lie to her for so many years? She was_ always_ being sheltered by him, even as she was approaching her _teen _years. She pulled away from his embrace. She asked him gently as tears fell down her cheeks, "Daddy, why do you shelter me from the world? Ever since I found out the truth about Mommy, I've felt so _lost._ If you were willing to keep _this_ a secret, then what _else _have you tried to protect me from that I don't know about? Are my _grades _real? My _awards?_ Or did you set _that _up to protect me as well?" She sat up in her bed as her father moved to sit next to her, on her right.

Her father used his right hand and pulled out his wallet and an old photo of her mother. Lila glanced at the picture as her father explained to her, "Sheltering and protecting the one you love isn't always a bad thing. Some things the heart is too shattered to accept, just as it was difficult for me to accept what your mother went through before her death. You're our only child and I don't want to think about the possibility of you becoming sick. I don't want to lose _you_… like I've lost _her."_ Tears started falling down his face at the devastating memories of _pain,_ and he quickly ran out of Lila's room to his _own _room and shut the door.

Lila wiped her tears and walked out of her room to her father's room, but when she turned the knob, it was locked. "But, _how _did she die? I still don't know the whole story because nobody wants to_ tell_ me. You and my grandparents insist on keeping _everything_ from me! _Please_ tell me what happened!"

…

**September sixth, morning…**

It was recess and the old gang from previous years was hanging out, catching up on their summertime memories. Lila was sitting on the bench. She couldn't focus on anything fun or memorable. She was slowly sinking into a pit of despair from the loss she recently found out she _had._ She couldn't play four squares with the boys or talk with the girls. She couldn't_ think_ of anything to talk about except her broken family. She wasn't _ready_ to lose her mother! Her tears were starting to catch the attention of all her other friends, especially the pig-tailed girl sitting next to her.

When one of Lila's tears hit Helga's poetry book, she looked up from it with a scowl. She turned to Lila, saying. "And just what the heck is _your_ problem this year? I thought your life was all peaches and cream but you're acting like your dessert's gone and went _sour!"_

Lila wiped her eyes with the back of her left hand and said to Helga in a shaky voice, "I miss my mother, Helga. She hasn't been in my life for _years."_

Helga rolled her eyes with a chuckle, "Well, neither has _mine,_ but you don't hear _me _complaining about it. Just suck it up and find something _else_ to do."

Arnold was walking over to the bench with Gerald, Sid, Stinky and Harold.

Stinky said to Lila, "Gosh, what's wrong with you, Little Ms. Lila? I reckon you look as sad as a lamb that can't find her way home."

Sid looked even _closer _at Lila, "Boy howdy, she _does!"_

Harold added, "And her eyes look all _puffy."_

Gerald rolled his eyes at Harold, "Crying will do that to you, Bubba."

Arnold sat beside her, on her other side, "Lila, what's wrong? Why are you upset?"

Lila sighed and admitted to her old classmates, "I'm ever-so sad after just finding out my mommy passed away nine years ago. I feel lonely and betrayed, almost as if I didn't matter enough to be told the _truth."_

Arnold said reassuringly, "I don't know what your grandparents said to you this summer, but I don't think your family meant to hurt you. I think you need to find a proper time to sit down with your dad, and hear the _whole _story"

Lila sighed, "I suppose you're right, Arnold, but I've _tried,_ and he's grieving."

Arnold explained, "Don't give up. This isn't something you can dismiss."

Lila was silent as she thought about his words.

**Later that afternoon…**

Lila was sitting on her fathers' bed next to him as she explained, "…I feel lost and abandoned to think all these years have passed without me knowing the truth about mommy. I even feel that I could have helped _prevent_ her death, even without knowing what it was from. Maybe I could've helped get her the medical assistance she needed."

Her father could only focus on her last few sentences, and out of habit, started trying to protect his daughter. He said, hugging her against him, "Oh, Honey, you couldn't have prevented her death. She had cancer for _many_ years before we had you. It's hereditary, every female in her families had it. Being with her was a risk I was willing to take because I _loved _her. It was only a matter of time before her illness would end up leaving her memory behind." he sighed, wiping a few tears away, and whispered, "I _still_ don't feel now is the right time to tell you. She was sick for so long and struggled to survive each hour some days. Maybe it would've be better if you _never_ found out."

Lila breathed in harshly and her heart started pumping rapidly, "Better if I didn't _know_? You would rather I never knew the _truth?_ But…but daddy, that's _awful."_

Her dad remembered the memories of the past and tried to explain his broken heart to his broken daughter, "Sometimes it's better to believe a lie than to know the pain of heartache; the pain of losing someone you love. Somethings are better left unsaid just to cherish the happy memories. I knew it would be easier to tell you we had financial problems and that she left us because of them, than to explain the nights she laid in bed, unable to get up." He sighed, before finally telling her, "She needed a hysterectomy, but she got pregnant unexpectedly. She had uterine cancer, Lila."

Lila's tears continued as she spoke angrily, "Why did you let me believe she left us all these years when she was really _dead?!_"

Her father was taken back by her harsh tone, "Lila, _please._ It's not that I don't care about you, I just didn't know how to tell—"

"—You would rather I have false _hope? _How sheltered were you planning on _keeping _me?"

"Lila, I would rather you have all the _hope_ in the world! Your mother's battle was meant to be _conquered._ Other people that fought with her were meant to _live!"_

Her eyes widened in shock. She couldn't _believe_ that her father had _lied _to her all those years_._ Did he even love her _at all…?_ She was angry at him for causing her such _pain_…

…

**September eighth, lunch period…**

Rhonda and Nadine walked over to sit with Lila.

Rhonda spoke first, "All right, Lila, _out _with it. You look like the girl who just had the last coach bag snatched out from under her nose at Macy's. Normally you have a disposition to rival Arnold's, so clearly something is troubling you. Spit it out."

Lila looked into Rhonda's eyes, with tears in her own, "The only family that loves me is back in the country, back in my hometown! _That's_ where I belong!"

Nadine asked gently, "Why do you say that?"

Lila sniffed, "My father said that if it was up to him, he would have _never_ told me my mother was dead. He said he wanted me to have false _hope._ I feel just oh-so lonesome in this city now. I have no other family in Hillwood."

Rhonda said, shocked, "So he had the audacity to lie to your _face?_ How awful! You can't allow something like that to stand. If you don't let others know how you refuse to be treated, then they'll walk all _over_ you without giving it a second thought. You're far too sheltered and passive. My parents and I have an understanding. We tell each other everything, and we _believe _each other."

Nadine glared at her best friend. "Even the _lies,_ Rhonda?"

"Oh, Nadine, you're_ so_ naïve._ Especially_ the lies. _That's_ how families work."

The blonde rolled her eyes. "Not _every_ family," she muttered under her breath and stood up to walk away as Rhonda went through her purse, pulling out a brush to perform her daily lunchtime hair maintenance.

Lila said to Rhonda, "How can I show my father that I don't want to be sheltered anymore? How can I get rid of all my _pain."_

Rhonda said sternly, "Run away and _never _return. Show him that you're _mature _enough to deal with life on your own. "

Lila's eyes widened, "Oh, but I can't do _that. _He would be ever-so sad. Besides_, _where would I _go?"_

Rhonda explained, "Oh, _please,_ Lila. The answer shouldn't be_ too_ difficult for you to figure out. Go back to your home in the country. If your mother has _really _lived such a short life, who's to say you're going to live any longer than _her?_ You should _enjoy_ life while you have the chance, after all, you only live _once._ Go back to the place where you have the_ best_ memories."

"I suppose you're right, but I have no money and no way to get back home. The _last_ trip we made over the summer was merely from my grandparents financial help."

Rhonda sighed as she reached inside her pocket and pulled out a couple hundred-dollar bills to hand to Lila.

Lila was surprised at the money she saw Rhonda holding out to her. She was lucky to see _that _much money in a _year,_ "Whatever is _this?"_

"I was going to donate this to the homeless at this Saturday's fashion show, but I suppose, given the circumstance, you could use it to find _yourself _a home. I can't _stand _to see you looking so _pitiful,_ Lila. Here, take this and use it to get back to your home in the country."

It was after taking the money Rhonda gave her that Lila made her decision.

…

**September tenth…**

Arnold was talking to his friends on the bus, "I don't know about you guys, but I'm starting to have a _really _bad feeling about Lila's whereabouts."

Phoebe nodded in agreement, "I must admit, she was the runner up for the attendance award every semester in fifth grade, and she's already missed days in the first week of school. I'm starting to get concerned as well."

Helga groaned, "Aw, pipe down, you two _Mr. Simmons_ _Juniors._ Are we _really_ going to worry about Little Ms. _Perfect?_

Nadine volunteered her opinion, "Helga, have you _forgotten _about the place she lives at? Or how _poor _their family is?"

Rhonda said, "Maybe she _used_ to live at that dump, but not anymore. _Now_ she's got everything she could ever _want."_

Sid asked, "What are you _talking _about, Rhonda?"

Stinky scratched his head, "Surely, _you're_ not the cause of Ms. Lila's absence, _are _you?"

Rhonda rolled her eyes, "As _if_ I could do anything to help the lower class, you plebeian. I did nothing to coerce Lila into truancy. Anything that she did, she did so of her _own _free will,_ and _of her own resources."

Arnold turned to Gerald, "_May-be_ we should give it a couple days and check on her?"

Gerald said, matter-of-factly, "_Relax,_ man. I mean, what kind of trouble could a girl like _that_ get into?"

…

**September twelve…**

It was thunder storming severely outside, and Lila was hidden in her grandparent's barn, taking shelter. The leaks in the ceiling reminded her that her shelter from the storm _wasn't _stable. More frightening than that, was the lightning outside caused her to see shadows in the dark. She was almost_ certain_ there was at least _one _ghost in the old barn she was in.

She was petting one of the horses with her eyes tightly shut. She gasped in fear and clutched the horse tightly every time she saw another shadow. She whimpered, talking to the horse, "I'm ever so _scared._ This was a _terrible_ idea, running away to my grandparent's barn! I should have _never_ run away from home, even if I _was_ in pain." Tears started to fall down her face at an alarming rate, "Here I am, worried about myself when my mom has had a worse fate than _me._ She's probably buried in the ground, surrounded by nothing but _dirt._ _I _was the reason my mother died so young. Yes, it was _me!_ If it wasn't for me, she could've_ had_ the surgery she needed to prevent her death." The thunder rolled outside as Lila shivered, no longer wanting to be by herself. "I _never _should have been born! I _never _should have been conceived! All I've done is bring my father sorrow and my mother _pain. _I belong with the _dead!"_

She left the barn and ran across town, looking for somewhere, _anywhere _better to grieve the loss of her mother. It was eleven at night. She didn't know what she was looking for. She didn't know where she was going, but somehow, she found an old graveyard. She walked around, until she came across a grave with a familiar name written on it.

…

_Eulaila Sawyer_

_Married young, died younger. Will be cherished, always._

_1988-2007_

…

Lila sniffed, rubbing her eyes, "My mother's tombstone. She only lived to the age of _nineteen._ It's ever-so _unfair!_ It makes me want to give up and be _with_ her; this gravestone holds nothing but_ pain_! And there's _nothing _I can do to change it!"

A light shined above the gravestone and the rain around her stopped. She gasped as she looked up and saw a woman, in a reflection of light. She wasn't much older than _her. _She breathed harshly and more tears fell from her eyes. Her heart knew who the young women was before her brain even _tried _to figure it out.

The soft and compassionate voice said to her, "Lila, sweetie, it's your mother. I love you _ever-so_ much, but you're blowing my death out of proportions, and I'm _oh-so_ concerned about you. _Please _don't dwell on the past, thinking about only the pain. Focus on your future and helping others that have struggled like _me."_

"I don't know if I _can._ Ever since learning I've lost you; it's been difficult to look at anything but the _negative_. And knowing that your condition is hereditary makes me think I don't have much longer to live, either." She whimpered.

"But I haven't _died,_ Lila, and you haven't lost me. You'll always have me in your _heart._ You _can't _let the death of me change the way you live _your _life."

"You maybe in my heart, but you're not on this earth? I _can't _re-create the memories that we _could've_ had together. I've never gotten the chance to have a _real _family."

"But you can help others who struggle with my illness so that _they_ will. You can make the difference that I _couldn't _make in my lifetime. I'm sorry, but I have to go—"

"—But mommy, _please,_ don't _leave_ me! Not when I have you back again!" She dropped to the ground, feeling lost and hopeless. She listened to her mother's voice as it faded away.

"I will_ always_ be with you, Lila. I love you, and you are _not _alone…"

"But how do I go _on?!"_ she cried.

**Later…**

It was that night while contemplating ending all her pain that Lila decided to call the school's advice giver.

Arnold said, "I'm a little confused, why are you calling me from a _pay-phone?_ And why aren't you home in the city with your _father?_ Shouldn't you be in _Hillwood?"_ He was in his room, sitting on his bed, with concern on his face.

"I ran away, Arnold. I was feeling down and depressed. I guess you could say my depression has gotten _worse._ What's the point in living and surviving when you don't have your mother around? I haven't known my mother. You're one of the _only _people I can think who's experienced this pain that I'm experiencing _now._ How did you get_ through_ it?"

He sighed, "Listen, Lila, I know you're going through a rough time because of all the years you've lost with her. I still have a rough time because of all the years _I've _lost, too, but you need to allow this situation to make you a _better _person, not a _bitter _one. I know it's going to be hard for you to forgive your father and your grandparents for lying about your mother's death, but it's something that you've got to do. It sounds like they only did it to _protect_ you. If you would have found out that your mother passed away when you were younger, it could have been more devastating for you than it is _now._ Sure, your father made up stories to hide the truth about your mother, but my grandpa did the same thing with _my _parents. My grandpa didn't want me to be depressed my whole life, and he didn't know how to _talk _to me about my parents. Maybe your dad felt the same way."

She hesitated, "I… I guess that's _possible,_ Arnold."

Arnold spoke sternly, "You have a decision to make, Lila. Either you can choose to let this depression overwhelm you and make you feel worthless because you don't have a motherly figure in your life, or you can choose to move on and forgive your dad and your grandparents for lying to you."

"You're not telling me to forget about my mother _too,_ _are_ you? I couldn't do _that,_ Arnold! She's a part of who I _am!"_

"I _never _said to forget about your mother. I couldn't have forgotten about my parents, and I wouldn't expect _you_ to. You need to remember that your mother would only want the_ best_ for you and wouldn't want you to be depressed. Who knows? Maybe you can have an influence on somebody else's life that lost somebody close to them. Maybe you can help them heal from the past pain."

"I suppose you're right, Arnold. I've got to let go of this pain. But, _how?"_

"I know this isn't the easiest thing to do, but _trust _me, if _I _could get through the years of thinking my parents were dead, then I know _you_ can get through _this._ You're a strong person. Don't give up on your future _now,_ Lila, and don't give up on your _dreams."_

"I... I have to go Arnold..."

"_Think_ about it, Lila. Suicide is not the answer, neither is running away from your problems."

…

**September fourteenth… **

A few days later, Lila walked through the door of her house in Hillwood.

Her dad ran to her; fresh tears were in his eyes, "Lila, your _safe!_ I was _so_ worried about you! I had no way of finding out where you _were!_ I was worried I was losing _another _person I loved all _over_ again! You _do _realize you're the _only_ one in my world right now, right? I couldn't _stand_ to lose _you,_ _too!"_

Lila sighed and looked down at the ground, "Daddy, I'm ever-so sorry for running away. I didn't know how to deal with all my _pain._ It wasn't so much that you and my grandparents _lied_ to me about my mother's death; I was grieving just ever-so much thinking about her! Nothing took back the pain of knowing that I couldn't get back those precious years that were lost."

Her dad wiped her eyes and then wiped his, "I'm sorry too, Lila. I suppose I let the pain consume me like it had done in the past, and maybe hiding the truth from you _wasn't _the right choice. I should've been honest with you from the start, even if it _hurt._ Can you _forgive_ me, Lila?"

"Your ever-so forgiven, Father, and I love you ever-so much! I'm oh-so sorry…" They cried together.

…

**September seventeenth… on the school playground…**

Sid exclaimed, "So how was it in the country?"

Harold asked, "How many farm animals did you stay with that week?"

Gerald asked curiously, "Did your grandma and grandpa even know you were_ staying_ there?"

Helga snuffed, "Enough with the questions already, _criminy,_ give the girl some _breathing_ room, would you?" She turned swiftly to Lila, "Tell us what happened already!"

Lila explained, "There were many farm animals I stayed with, and no, my grandma and grandpa _didn't_ know I was there. I ran away from home."

"_Willickers."_

Phoebe asked gently, more surprised than anything, "Why would you _do _such a thing, Lila?"

Rhonda smirked, looking at Lila curiously, "Oh, come on, Phoebe, it's not like she has the _greatest _luxurious home to live in. She probably ran away from the city to _escape,_ am I _correct?"_

Lila nodded, "I didn't learn it was an ever-so bad idea until around the time I found my mother's grave. I went to the graveyard one night because I was tempted to end my life."

Everyone gasped.

Helga couldn't help but say to her, "Criminy, and I thought _my _family history was bad. _This _one takes the _cake!_" She put her left arm around Lila's shoulders, "So, you stole away without your father knowing, you stayed in your grandma and grandpa's barn without _them_ knowing, and then you even ran away from _there?_

Lila nodded, "It's an ever-so awful thing, Helga; it's not something to be _impressed _with. I could only apologize when I got back home when I realized the error of my ways."

Gerald asked Lila, "Didn't seeing your mother's grave make you want to end it even _more?_ I don't think I would know _what_ to do if I didn't have both of my parents around, even though they get on my last nerve at times. Believe me, I tried to run away, right Arnold?"

Arnold elbowed Gerald gently, shushing him.

Lila sighed, explaining, "It wasn't so much that it _depressed_ me. In fact, it _motivated_ me. I heard a voice speaking to me, telling me that everything was going to be _okay,_ and telling me not to be _depressed._ It could've been an angel, but I think it was my _mother._ She was trying to reassure me that she was there and that she still_ loved_ me, even in her death. She was trying to tell me to go _on."_

Arnold asked her, remembering her spontaneous call, "So you decided to put the past pain aside and move on with your life?"

Lila explained, "Not exactly, I mean, sure I've decided to put the pain aside and I've forgiven my family, but I will _never _forget my mother. The memory will stay in my heart forever. In fact, I've decided to help her legacy go on, maybe even help _other _people who are struggling with uterine cancer. Maybe I can prevent somebody else's loved ones from passing away from the same thing. I would ever-so appreciate _anyone_ else's help and encouragement."

Stinky smiled, "I reckon that's a right _honorable_ thing for you to do, Lila, and I will be _glad_ to help you in any way I can."

Sid grinned, "Me _too!"_

Sheena raised her hand, "Me _three!_ I think it will be _fun!"_

Lila smiled for the first time in a _long_ time, "Thank you, just_ ever-_so much!"

Nadine asked her best friend, "Rhonda, are _you_ in?"

Rhonda said, matter-of-factly, "I _guess,_ just as long as it doesn't interfere with my _plans."_

As Nadine and Rhonda started to argue about Rhonda's selfishness in the face of dying civilization, Helga smirked at Lila and commented, "Got to admit, Little Ms. Perfect, you're a lot stronger than I've given you credit for. It takes_ guts_ to run away from home, I'm _impressed!_ This is something eviller than tearing the price-tag off the Princess' sweater, _that's _for sure."

Arnold sighed, wishing the girl he was starting to develop strong feelings for stopped thinking so _negatively _about herself, "It's not that she's _stronger _than you Helga, it's that she's chosen to respond _differently_ to the heartache she's suffered with."

"Whatever, _Arnold-o,"_ Helga rolled her eyes before turning to Lila, "Can you teach ol' Helga G. Pataki some of your _disobedient _ways? I'd like to try them out on Bob and Miriam. I'll even take a notepad with me and write down notes like I did in fourth grade when you were teaching me to be like _you!"_

Arnold groaned, "Helga, you're _not _going to encourage Lila to rebel against her family again, and you're _not _running away from home. You're going to be strong and you're going to _deal _with the Beeper Emporium and work your way through this situation in a positive and rational matter."

"What are you, _Dr. Phil?_ You're barking up the wrong tree, Arnold-o. I suggest you turn around and get your _butt _out of here. Show's over, nothing more to see."

"_Excuse _me?" Arnold could only stare as Helga walked away from him, with her arm over Lila's shoulders. He was more than a bit confused.

"Come on, Little Ms. Perfect. I hear Slausen's calling our name and_ this _time,_ I'm_ treating…"

**END**


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